Maintains that traditional history instruction may be expanded by including content based on community and family history, the role of personality in history, cultural history, quantification of history, and history of the people or masses. Shows how these can be integrated into traditional history content. (JDH)

Provides a sampling of items from the ERIC database on the subject of social studies as a discipline. Includes documents on proposals to improve social education and on return to traditional emphases in history and geography. Explains how to obtain copies of documents from the ERIC system. (SG)

Examines the conflict between the "politically correct" movement and educational "traditionalists." Suggests that the "politically correct" view seeks to purge sexism, racism, and economic classism, whereas traditionalists desire to inject values into education. Identifies the one-sidedness of each position. Argues…

A national opinion survey of social studies teachers revealed that the overwhelming majority of teachers (1) had regularly used inquiry as a teaching strategy; (2) believe inquiry is currently less emphasized than it was in the 1960s and 1970s; and (3) perceive the back-to-basics movement as contributing significantly to the deemphasis of inquiry.…

In each era of curriculum reform the prevailing perceptions of what the school curriculum must accomplish define the standard of cultural literacy for our society. E. D. Hirsch believes that contemporary youth lack cultural literacy and that without this knowledge of the fundamental facts of U.S. culture they cannot effectively read or…

Discusses the educational reform efforts to reorganize the social studies curriculum in the United States. Criticizes a return to conservative, traditional approaches to social studies than emphasize history and geography while ignoring more contemporary ideas. Suggests that, to develop a discipline of social studies, more scholarly pursuit and…

A survey of parents in urban and rural school districts showed a strong belief in the importance of elementary school social studies and more support for innovations such as the curriculum guidelines of the National Council for the Social Studies than publicity about demands to return to basics would suggest. (IS)

The current debate about social studies education is the focus of this paper, and the questions and the charges raised by recent surveys and reports are addressed. Survey results from the Ravitch and Finn, the Chandler, and the National Catholic Educational Association studies reflecting student ignorance of social studies knowledge are discussed.…

Efforts to improve public education should include better teacher salaries, teacher recertification, merging of schools and departments of education, viewing teachers as professionals, increased private sector support, greater commitment of resources by colleges and universities, use of retired professionals, and changes in English and Social…

To test whether elementary social studies texts have changed in response to the back-to-basics movement, a content analysis was made of selected basal texts series published between 1969-1972 and reissued between 1979-1982. Quantitative data, anecdotal data, and educational criticism were used to compare eight matched text series for knowledge…

The Integrating Studies Program at Vermont College was designed not only to help students master the dictates of established disciplines, but also to inquire about the nature of knowledge. As such, it reflects the growth of the general studies movement and that movement's desire to restore the bond between education and character-formation. The…